Anatomy of a CAF stretch, Cuba edition

3/27/12 4:54 PM EDT

MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell is in Cuba today reporting on the arrival of The Pope, who is making a visit to the country this week.

Quick to the case, the Center for American Freedom's 'Washington Free Beacon' -- a site "dedicated to uncovering the stories that the professional left hopes will never see the light of day" -- has published a video of Mitchell reporting from Cuba, with the title: "MSNBC host Covers Obamacare Debate From Castro's Cuba."

But there is no text in the story.... which begs the question: What's the story?

"MSNBC, Cuba, Healthcare......just generally ludicrous," Michael Goldfarb, chairman of the Center for American Freedom, emails. "They're broadcasting from Cuba. They're talking politics from a place that persecutes people for engaging in unsanctioned politics. Seemed self-explanatory."

Indeed.

Note: Due to the Pope's visit, Cuba has been the focus of much reporting recently, including a 10-page special report in The Economist, a 30-minute CNBC documentary, and extensive coverage on Univision.

But this is not the first time critics on the right have suggested Mitchell has sympathies for Cuba, and even for Castro.

Note of clarification, if any was needed: The 'stretch' in the title refers to the idea that MSNBC reporting from Cuba is ludicrous, or that there is a line between MSNBC and Cuba's politics.